Railway signaling



Sept. is, 1928. 1,684,386

' R. S. BLAIR RAILWAY sIuALme Filed April 5, 1924 I'IIIIIII" existenceof a blocked track.

Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNETEB s'ra'rss ROBERT S. BLAIR, OF STAMFORP, CONNECTICUT.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

Application filed April 5,

his invention relates to railway signaling and more particularly torailway signaling as applied to protection against the dangers of aroadway blocked by a stalled train or otherwise obstructed.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a signaling means ofthe above nature practical and efficient and capable of meeting therequirements of practical use in a highly satisfactory manner. Anotherobject is to provide means of the above nature dependable in operation.Another object is to provide signaling means capable of effectivelywarning an approaching train of the Other objects are to provide suchmeans of inexpensive construction and simple to operate. Another objectis to provide an effective art of railway signaling whereby the hazardsdue to a stalled train or other obstruction are substantially reduced.Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and in the sev eralsteps and relation and order of each of the same to one or more of theothers all as will be iilustratively described herein, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which are shown one or more variouspossible embodiments of the several mechanical features of thisinvention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a signaling device in operativeposition.

Figure 2 is a section taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure1.

Figure 3 is a. section taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure1.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the signaling device.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation showing certain parts in another positionof adjustment, and

Figure 6 diagrammatically represents the signaling device in operationupon a curved railway track.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown a railway rail 10upon which this signaling device is adapted to be mounted. The device ispreferably supported upon 1924. Serial No. 704,370.

the rail 10 by means of a pair of wheels coactmg with the rail and isadapted to be driven or propelled along the rail by suitable means suchas will presently be described. The for ward wheel is shown in sectionin Figure 3 and may comprise, for example, a solid roller 11 which is ofsome yielding or easily compressible material such as cork. The roller11 rests upon the surface of the rail 10, and passing axiallytherethrough is a pin 12 which holds in place a pair of side disks 13and 14. These disks 1'3 and 14 are dished outwardly, as shown, and serveas side flanges for the wheel, being adapted to engage the sides of therail 10 to guide the wheel along the rail. The pin 12 is of lightconstruction and is provided with a head 12 at one end and removablesecuring means such as a cotter pin 15 at the other end, whereby thedisks 13 and 14 are conveniently removable. The disks 13 and 14 are oflight construction bemg, for example, of thin sheet metal and may, ifdesired, be made of a stiff paper or cardboard. These disks orsideflanges are further preferably perforated, as shown, to lessen the windresistance thereof. If the disks 13 and 14 are made ofpaper orcardboard, they are preferably waterproofed.

The rear wheel, as shown in section in Figure 2, may comprise a pair ofspaced circular disks 16 and 17 connected by an axial pin 18 andprovided with peripheral flanges 16 and 17 which rest upon the surfaceof the rail 10. This wheel also is provided with dished flanges 19 and20 adapted to coact with the sides of the rail and taking the form, forexample, of cup-shaped members resting against the outer faces of therespective disks 16 and 17. The pin 18 is of light construction holdingthe flanges 19 and 20 against the disks 16 and 17 and provided with ahead 18 at one end and a removable securing device, such'as a cotter pin21, at the other end whereby the flanges 19 and 20 may be convenientlyremoved, if desired. The'disks 16 and 1'2 and the flanges 19 and 20 areof light construction, being formed, for example, from thin sheet metal,and as mentioned with respect to the flanges 13 and 14' of the frontwheel, the flanges 19 and 20, may be made, if desired, of waterproofedpaper or cardboard. These flanges 10 and 20 are also preferablyperforated to lessen their wind resistance.

The axial pins 12 and 18 of the two wheels are connected together bymeans of a suitable frame, taking the form, for example, of a pair oflongitudinal connecting members 22 and 23, through the ends of which thepins 12 and 18 loosely pass. These connecting members 22 and 23 arepreferabl y strips of light sheet metal.

As shown in Figure i, the forward ends of the members 22 and 23 aresupported upon the pin i2 at either ide of the wheel rm n her 11, andrearwardly thereof they are preferably bent inwardly toward each other.At this point ust in back of the forward wired, the frame members 22 and:3 support a device which is adapted to provide a visible signal takingthe form preferably of a red light. The burning charge of this red lightmay be contained in a cylindrical cart board container 21; which isclamped, as shown in Figure. 4 by the frame members 22 and 23, and apair of s-mall rivets 25 and 26 passing through the two frame members.The container 24, if of cardboard, is preferably Waterproofed, and, asshown in Figure 1, is supported as near the surface of the rail 10 aspracticable to keep low the center of gravity of the device, therebyincreasing its stability. burning charge of the red light, if dc. ed,may be coiled or doubled back i ithin its centainer 24.

This signaling device is adapted to be driven along the rail 10 bydriving means carried thereon and preferably taking the form of arocket. It will be understood that the term rocket as employed herein isto be interpreted in a broad sense to comprehend a suitable burningdevice adapted, by the re.- action due to the discharge of its burninggases, to propel the device upon which it is mounted; The rocketemployed in this invention comprises preferably a long tube 2'? of smalldiameter containing the burning charge of the rocket. The charge isprefer ably of the slow burning type so that the propulsion effect isgradual, being preferably not all expended in one initial blast. Therocket tube 27 may be. of cardboard and is preferably waterproofed.

As shown in Figure 1, the rocket tube 27 is preferably suspended beneaththe frame members 22 and 23 in order that the weight thereof may becarried near the surface of the rail 10. The forward end thereof issupported and securely clamped a light bracket 28 secured to the framemembers 22 and 23 by the rivet 26. The rear end of the tube 27 projectsbeyond the rear wheel and beyond the rearmost portions of the flanges 19and 20. As shown in Figure 2, the rear end of the rocket tube 27 issupported from the pin 18 preferably by means of :1 depending loop 29which may be of wire or a strip of thin sheet metal. The loop 29 isformed iv' bends therein to provide a turplus of length so that theposition of the rear end of t is rocket tube may be adjusted upwardly ordownwardly Spaci this 30 and 31 of cork, if desired, in ay be emplo labout the is between the frame mem ers and 23 a he sunoortig loop Thedevice is driven along th the reaction due to the dischar er bly slowburning rocket 2?. of the adjustable support 29, the ear end of therocket may be raised if desired, so that the reaction is forwardly anddownwardly tending to hold the device against the surface of the rail.Furth rmore, if found desirable for any reason, by means of the sameadjustment the reaction may be made upwardly in clined to tend to liftthe forward end of the device. In order to further lessen windresistance, there is provided forwardly of the front wheel, a prowshapedshield 32 which is also preferably inclined downwardly to tend to holdthe device against the rail. This wind shield 32 is preferably made oflight sheet metal and may be supported by means of a pair of bracln; 03and 34 rigidly coir nected to the frame members and 2 by the rivet andpassing u; vardly over the wheel member 11. The wind shield ifen'iployed, preferably does not project upwardly to a sufficient heightto interfere with a View of the red light 24 from the front of thedevice. There are shown secured to the frame members 22 and 2-3, a pairof. outwardly and downwardly projecting wings 3 and 36 which arepreferably of light sheet metal and may be conveniently bent andadjusted as desired. These wings 35 and 36 are adapted to serve as Windvanes and may be adjusted to have any desired degree of effect in assisting to hold the device against the rail. These wind vanes 35 and 36 andthe wind shield 32, although preferably employed may be di. pensed withif found imnecessary.

The fuse 27 of the rocket 27 by means of which the charge of the rocket1s r nited to start the movement of the device along the rail, ispreferably protected by a shield which may be of waterproofed paper. Asthe device is propelled along the rail burning of the charge within therocket tube 2? progresses from the fuse 27 forwa .,'.y through therocltet tube. The nature of the rocket charge is preferably such thatthe rocket burns with a red discharge. Ccmn'iunicating with the interiorof the tube 2? a fuse 38 connected at its other one. with the charge fthe red light 24;. vi' hei burning of the of rocket charge reaches thefuse in the latter is ignited and innnet' li it. preperly which the fusee i I the point in the Vile device at which the red lighu is lighted,iii-2y be adiusted and determined. Thus the red light-may be ignitedwhen the device has reached the end of its travel or at any intermediatepoint between the starting and stopping of such travel. The fuse 38 ispreferably provided with a waterproof covering 39 to protect the samefrom moisture and insure dependable operation.

As shown at 42 there may be mounted on the under side of the thin memberan ordinary torpedo 43 which will thus travel along continuously inoperative relation to the rail and give an audible signal should a trainbe met.

This signaling device is )articularly adapt ed for the protection of therear of a stalled train. Vhen a train stops, as between stations, thisdevice may be sent back along the track from the rear of the train andits burning red light serves to ell'ectively varn an approaching trainof the bloclna'l condition of the track. The rocket may be made so thatits charge is suiiicient to propel the device along the track forsubstantially the required distance, whereupon the device coming to restremains upon the rail and the red light continues to burn as aneffective danger signal. This obviates the necessity of sending back ailagman and the delay in starting occasioned by the necessity of waitingfor the ilaguiau to return. The entire device is r'olllpress'ible in thesense that it may be run over by a train and compressed against the railor hnocked therefrom without danger of derailing the train. It maytherefore be left upon the rail wit-h perfect safety, the rocket chargeand the red light charge being burned out. The charge of the red lightmay be made such that it will burn for any desired length of time.

When the device is sent back along a curved track, it is preferablyplaced upon the rail it) at the outside of the curve, as illustrated inFigure 6. In this instance the suspension 29 of the rocket tube 27 maybe adjusted so that the discharge of the rocket is substantially in thedirection indicated by the arrow 4-1 in Figure 6. The reaction from thedischarge driving the device along the rail thus serves also to tend tourge the flanges of the wheels against the inner side of the curved railt aid in. holdin the device thereon.

In Figure 0, there is illustrated a section through a rail when snow orcinders or gravel are filled up around the rail. In such case, theflanged wheels of the train passing over the .ail clear the materialaway from the inner side of the rail, as indicated at 42, but theoir-itruction at the outer side of he rail remains intact, as indicatedat 4?. after the passage of the car wheels thereover. The outer flangesof the wheels of the signaling device must therefore be removed sincethe obstruct.- in g material 43 would interfere with their operation. Inthis Figure there shown a rear elevation of the device with the flangeof the rear Wheel removed, it being undcrstood that the correspondingflange 13 of the forward wheel is also removed. Vv hen this is done, thesuspension 29 of the rocket tube .27 is adjusted in the manner shown inFigure 5, so that the reaction of the burning rocket urges the remainingflanges it) and i l against the side of the rail to hold the device uponthe rail. Thus. regardless of the obstruction. at the outer side of therail. the signaling device may be made to dependabiy travel a lon thesurface of the rail.

From the above it will be won that there are herein provided an art ofrailway signaling and an apparatus therefor which attain the objects ofthis invention and produce many important practical advantages.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features ofthe above invention and as the art herein described n'iight be varied invarious parts all without dcpai ring from the scope of the invention, itis to be understood that all matter herein so forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as ilhrlrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim as Ill V invention:

1. The herein described art of railway si nalingj, which consists inmounting a sig naling device on the top and inner side (if a rail andapplying thereto forces directed along the rail and outwardly toward therail to cause it to travel along ,ho same with an outward tendcncy.

The herein described art of railway naling, which consists in directinga rocketdriven signal along a railway rail and varying the direction ofdischarge of said rorlviet with respect to said rail. 7

3. The herein described art of railway signaling. which consists indirecting a rocketdrivcn signaling device along a railway rail andadjusting wind vanes on said signaling device to hold the same on saidrail.

4-. in a railway si nal, in combination, a signaling: dev ce adapted totravel along a rail substantially free from engagement with the outsideof the rail and having a portion adapted to engage the inside of therail, and means mounted on said device adapted to apply forces to saiddevice urging it along the rail and outwardlv toward the rail.

In railway signal. in con'ihination, a signaling device aiapted totravel along a rail substantially free from engagementwith the outsideof the rail and having a portion adapted to engage the inside of therail, and a rocket mounted on said device in a position to drive thesame along said rail with a component outwa dl v toward the rail.

ti. In a railway signal, in combination. a signaling device having amember adapted to roll along a rail and a pair of removable flaringflanges adapted resi'iectivel to engage the sides of the rail and guidethe device, and means adapted to propel the device along the rail, saiddevice being adapted to travel along said rail in engagement with thetop and one side only.

7. In a railway signal, in combination, a flanged wh el adapted totravel along a single rail, supporting means mounted. on said wheel andadapted to follow the same with said wheel in engagement with the rail,a rearwardly discharging rocket mounted on said supporting means, and asignal mounted on said, supporting means.

8. In a railway signal, in combination, a flanged wheel adapted totravel along a single rail, supporting means mounted on said wheel andadapted to follow the same with said wheel in engagement with he rail, arearwardly disrhar g rocket mounted on said supporting means, a nd asignal mounted on said supportingmeans, the flanges of said wheel beingof open eimstruction to reduce the wind resistance thereon.

9. In a railway signal. in combination, a flanged Wheel adapted to rollalong a single rail, supporting means connected with said wheel toi'ollow the same, a pair of spaced wheel members connected with saidsupport ing means, and a rocket immnted. upon said supporting means anddischarging rearwardiy hetweeii said last wheel n .llil fls.

10. The herein described art ot railw, signalin which consists in mounta sig ualing device on the top and inner side of a rail and dischargingthere trom burning gases in a z-arward and inward direction to forcesaid devire outwardly toward the rail and propel it along the rail.

ll. 'i he herein (ascribed art of railway s gnaling whieh eons ll'S inmounting a signalin device on a rail, driving it along the rail by ti 1of rearwardly discharged burning? i/ing the air resistance to themovement i d device to force it in a piedetermined dire-stain withrespect to said rail.

ii. In a railway sig al, in combination, a support. means eomprisii awheel carrying the to rd end oi said support, a pair of wlu'cls carryingthe rear end of said support and spaced one from another, a rocketmounted upon said suppo t and adapted to discharge between the wheels ofsaid pair and propel the device along the rail, and rotary means adaptedto hold said device against outward displacement with respect to saidrail.

13. In a railway signal, in combination, a support, a roller at theforward end of said support adapted to extend entirely across the lateof the ra l, a pair of spaced wheels at the re: end of said support, anda rocket mounted on said device to extend between and to disehargebetween the wheels of said pair and propel the device along the rail.

ii. In a railway signal, in combination, a roeltet, means comprisingflanged wheels adapted to permit said rocket to travel along a rail andhold it in predetermined position i h re pect thereto, and a combustiblesignal e associated with said rocket and adapte to he carried therewith.

in a railway signal, in con'ibination, a ct, means comprising flangedwheels e pied to permit said rocket to travel along a rail and hold itin predetermined position with re--pert thereto. and a combustiblesigaai device associated with said rocket and adapted to he carriedtherewith, the flanges said wheels being open to reduce the wind 4 n'eethereon.

lt a railway signal, in combination, a rocket. means mounting saidrocket to permit it to travel along a rail by its reaction when n rning,and a pair of rotary members one. f which is in advance of the other andboth of which are adapted to engage the same side oi :he head of therail and each of which is

